The website page at this link:-  http://nationalculturalpolicy.com.au/ , but now appears to be offline (November 2011) This includes (did include)  a short, one page discussion outline. The three key themes for this discussion are

• keeping culture strong
• engaging the community
• powering the young

Bluecray is currently putting together a Formal Submission.  The submission has a largely Environmental Educational and Advocacy agenda.  WHY?

Because  ENVIRONMENT encompasses all. Cultural interactions of our many different communities do not preclude  our diverse and wonderful Environment.

• “Education”:- an etymological history, at http://www.babeled.com/2008/11/27/word-power-education/
• “What on earth is Environment?” by J. Stan Rowe – slightly revised edition (Published in The Trumpeter 6 (4):123-126. 1989.) at Ecospherics Ethics . – includes the etymology of “environment” as :”derived from the French ‘virer,’ to turn, whence ‘in/viron’ meaning to encircle“
• “Ecocentrism and Traditional Ecological Knowledge” by J. Stan Rowe
• Sustainability Education in Australia . (Australian Government)
• Sustainability Education Publications in Australia .(Australian Government)
• Australian Wildlife Protection Council – and sample Environmental Education  “Wildlife Awareness Program” with assignment, syllabus plans, references and resources
  

• Senate Environment and Communications Committee (Parliament of Australia : SENATE):-  ”The koala—saving our national icon” 22 September 2011  Commonwealth of Australia 2011 ISBN 978-1-74229-524-4
  

• ACARA :-The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. become involved “Your input into Australian curriculum development is welcomed and encouraged“
• Australian Stereotypes and cultural identity : at Australian Policy Online (APO) – and the story also on ABC Fora 23rd October 2009.
• Oodgeroo Noonuccal: Biographic Note and POETRY

##Australian Centre for Cultural Environmental Research – “The Australian Centre for Cultural Environmental Research (AUSCCER) is an exciting new research initiative commencing in 2009, funded by the University of Wollongong and the Australian Research Council (ARC).“##

AND SO……………..

ENVIRONMENT gives us the breath of life, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the energy we use and the waters we share. Our unique Australian Environment  inspires our Art,  Stories, Music, Architecture, Lifestyles and Visions.

Culturally, Australia IS a distinctly diverse continent. Our Heritage is unique & complex – both its social and  natural components.

“Reading the Constitution out Loud”  by Marcia Langton at Meanjin.com.au  .

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education & Australia’s Cultural Policy

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education in Australia does not  only mean Aboriginal cultures interfacing with other non-indigenous cultures. It is about all cultures interfacing, in a pluralistic #(see below) sense. And all Cultures, including Aboriginal CULTURES have stories, art, crafts, foods, plants,  animals and heritage that have woven their way into our unique pluralistic Australian Nation.

However, the Traditional,  long time Custodians of Australia, with their widespread Cultural Heritage, are to be treasured and respected. Our Indigenous Peoples have a UNIQUE HERITAGE and are immensely precious, as is their contribution to our  National Natural and Cultural Heritage.  Within Aboriginal Cultures,  the Environment and the Culture of their country & people are intrinsically linked. This is a basis for Australian Indigenous LAND CLAIMS.

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education has much to offer. Cross-Cultural Environmental Education can show us the way, when it comes to understanding our Land and Water Stewardship processes and responsibilities.

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education can help the young in the cities, increasing urban and semi-rural developments,  re connect with natural processes at a fundamental level. It can help awaken a more basic understanding of our Natural Environmental Heritage. It can help foster Regional Environmental Sustainability by facilitating  Cultural activities,  teachings, stories, dance, music and information that help our young choose a way of respect for Nature.

Environmental Advocacy Collage : CHOICES for Australians

Now, below is the basis of bluecray’s FORMAL SUBMISSION to the Department of the Environment, Heritage, Water & the Arts:-

“TOTEM” based Cross-Cultural Environmental Education at a Catchment, Regional and Local level via the School “House” System.

• The word “TOTEM”, is used, for lack of any better word. I mean it in a very loose sense here, not in the strict sense of a personal, clan or inherited indigenous TOTEM.

• The word “TOTEM”  is used to encompass a  practical understanding  and care of a particular LOCALLY or REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT native plant or animal species or genus. Caring for a specific component of the local natural environment, when commenced in the early formative and schooling years of a child, provides opportunity for that child, when an adult, to more fully grasp the concept of Nature.

• BY this, I mean a “TOTEM” caring that is integrated into a student’s schooling, through exposure and interaction with teachers, artists, community workers, scientific workers, wildlife and environmental volunteers and experts, cross-cultural educators, musicians, story tellers.

• A caring that, through continued exposure to an understanding of that “TOTEM” over time, brings with it increased awareness and understanding of the habitat necessary for it’s survival and well being. An understanding, that when carried into adulthood, will foster in many, more informed decision making, as Australian youth become active community members and leaders.

Choice of  “TOTEM” could include a particular plant or animal that is currently :-

1. endangered or threatened (at risk) within the area of the school’s “Catchment”. eg Koala, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Powerful Owl, Richmond Birdwing Butterfly – the list can be seen by looking at individual bioregions and their threatened species lists

2. particularly relevant to the  environmental & ecological well being of the catchment area about the school. This includes ecosystem health. I am talking here about a key signature species, that  if looked after, can be instrumental in helping the biodiversity of  habitats, ecological communities and ecosystems naturally occurring within that “Catchment”. This type of list may include frogs, insects, mammals, plants that whilst not threatened under legislation, are still key indicators for health within the school’s region.

3. easily identifiable, able to be learnt about, incorporated into a variety of syllabi content across the schools’ curriculum, as well as in sport and cultural experiential learning programs. This type of list may include more common animals and plants that already have  significance to large groups of people – Koala, Wallaby, Cockatoo, Crow, Python – the list is again very long.

4. specifically identified by Australian Indigenous peoples as an animal or plant that they feel deserves more understanding and respect.

Why Chose a TOTEM based cross-cultural environmental educational approach?

• To encompass a holistic caring  and Stewardship approach toward a particular native plant and/or animal species  or genus and its HABITAT, through continued and diverse cultural exposure via all types of cross-cultural experiences, at a basic level of an individual’s schooling life.
• To foster  greater understanding and Stewardship responses in a youth, for when that individual later becomes an active, functioning adult member of the Australian Community at large.

Why chose a School “HOUSE” system by which to deliver such an innovation?

• I have chosen the school “HOUSE” system as this is often the basis for many activities within a school and one that often unites students on a number of different levels. It can be the basis for group learning, sport, achievement and exchange. It has CONTINUITY. Some schools already use native animal names for their “houses”. For new schools, this is an opportunity to engage Cross-Cultural learning, should their house system be formed about a “TOTEM”.

• To engage Students, via continuity, throughout a region, catchment or local area. To create a vehicle for an ongoing cultural dialogue,  via cross-cultural learning, with a  “SIGNIFICANT ” animal or plant, ( its history, habitat requirements and interactions, ecological contributions). This can help the students, over time, to more fully appreciate, understand and learn to live with a particular animal and/or plant species or genus.

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education and the Murray Darling Catchment System:-

Whilst some Australian Schools already have animals, and possible even plants as the “SYMBOL” for their “HOUSE” system, I am suggesting here that this concept can be encouraged Australia wide, especially in a Catchment or Regional context. New Schools could be encouraged to adopt this strategy, as they have less historical ties to other “HOUSE” names and house naming heritage.

However, my main idea, of “TOTEMS” and the School “HOUSE” system has the MURRAY-DARLING Catchment System in mind. This idea could prove to be valuable, culturally and environmentally significant.  I perceive it as workeable for a Cross-Cultural Environmental Education framework, if implemented as a Cross-Cultural Education Innovation along the Catchments of the Murray-Darling Rivers.

• Murray-Darling Basin Authority .

And so, in response to the three key themes for a National Cultural Policy

1. Keeping culture strong:-

All types of cultural heritage come under the umbrella of our unique Australian Environmental Heritage that is the setting for future Australian Cultural Exchange.

• National identity with our native wildlife and landscapes is already very strong, but based mainly on superficial understanding in the way of how to engage in meaningful Land & Water Stewardship.  Cross- Cultural Environmental Education can strengthen our National Identity, whilst keeping our pluralistic cultural identity.
• To maintain an ongoing dialogue with the country. This has often been associated with Aboriginal use of art and other cultural activities – in the form of painting, singing, dancing, celebrations and  stories.
• However, as well as Aboriginal Cultural exchange, there other valuable community members who have been practicing land custodians, Land and Water Stewards, Wildlife Carers and Vegetation specialists. Their stories, practical work, art, visions, music, photography, literature and creativity are part of our Cultural Environmental fabric.
• There are a number of other cultural experiences, concerning our native wildlife and habitats that can also be shared, for heritage purposes, in a “TOTEM” based Environmental Education initiative. For example building and architecture, gardening and landscaping, engineering and earthmoving, farming and livestock management, entertainment and recreational activities. These things all have cultural components in our diverse Australian Culture

2. Engaging the community:-

• The concept of Totem based Cross-Cultural Environmental Education within schools can be encompassed via ARTS, ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE and many other forms of CROSS-CULTURAL exchange.

• As  a Regionalized and Catchment concept, this can only be a good thing, for our future as an environmentally sustainable nation of many identities, all caring for the Country.
• WATER CATCHMENTS, as a geographical and environmental reality, provide a basis by which localised and Regional cultural identity can be fostered, via linking with native wildlife habitat, and Land and Water Stewardship.
• Along any particular stretch of an Australian River or Creek System, there is always some animal/plant that needs mentorship, needs more habitat, needs help from threatening processes. In short:- a key signature animal or plant, that can act as an indicator for the Total Catchment Health.
• If Schools are encouraged to create vision with a “TOTEM” based environmental educational “HOUSE” system, leaving all types of “religious” implications out of it, cross-cultural outreaching may work for well with this  Vision.
• The word “totem” may work to ostracize some religious groupings,or more orthodox communities. Implementation of  this concept of a “TOTEM” based environmental educational initiative may need to look further into the meaning of the concept “TOTEM” , perhaps coming up with another “WORD” that satisfies the overall general meaning of the word “TOTEM”. It is important not to ostracise people who may be offended by the word, due to religious beliefs.
  
• At the heart of this idea of  the  word and concept -  “totem” -  is caring and fostering the future of our Australian Environment. The idea of linking one back to the environment, fostering a more harmonious life with one’s natural heritage. Using a signature animal or plant as a focus for creating environmental wellbeing , at a catchment or regional basis would involve Integrating the Cultural and Cross- Cultural components of Art, Music, Storytelling and Caring.
  
• Communities about many schools already have the information, or can locate the information for any number of native wildlife or plants that are undergoing habitat loss or threatening processes:- linkage with that part of the Community and the Student – this is what is important. It is important, in this day of a largely urbanised Australian Identity, to pass on information, using the process of CONTINUITY and a vision of CARE,  for the Land, Water and Habitats of our Natural Heritage. Continuity is important for community.
• The life cycle of the animal, the environmental and ecological contribution, the local carers experiences,  the science, the art, the stories, the songs etc: –   These, if combined into cohesive education and carried, at an all encompassing level through the School housing system, will engage many young people into understanding their local environment at a basic educational level. It will create opportunity for youth to be part of meaningful cross-cultural exchange via art, environment, sport, education and community.

3. Powering the young:-

• Vision leads us forward. Cohesion and continuity in the Vision, from elders to the younger creates strength in outcomes. The young, if educated in ways of the environment via cross-cultural exchange, creates a stronger future, and a powerful base for future, cultural discernment, tolerance, understanding and empathy via  many levels.

• Continuity, especially in times of great change, can be a useful tool. Continuity, with Cultural exchange can provide our Australian youth with practical skills, enhanced by increased awareness and understanding for vision building. This can help the Australian Nation’s young obtain the discernment necessary to help create  an Environmentally Sustainable Future

Some links (whilst not anywhere near exhaustive or comprehensive, these links are to give  you a taste of what is available currently), as an example of  resources for Cross-Cultural Environmental Education:

Negotiating Diversity – A Field Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity -  and REFERENCES .

Department of Education and Child Development South Australia : there is a great resource library here for teachers, concerning Australian Indigenous Stories

Bangarra Dance Theatre , Laura Aboriginal Dance & Cultural Festival ,  Arts in  Queensland, Stories of the Dreaming at Australian Museum, Koomurri : Australian Aboriginal Dance Connections.

National Sustainability Initiatives at the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts. This website page includes links to the related areas of :-  EPBC Reporting, Indicators & Local Agenda 21, as well as to  Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS .

“Nature and society: anthropological perspectives” By Philippe Descola, Gísli Pálsson (at Australian Library collections) ISBN:  0415132169 (pbk.)

Griffith University : Centre for Public Culture and Ideas – “its central brief is to encourage greater collaboration between these areas, while articulating with contemporary debates in public culture and ideas.”  This centre promotes seminars, public lectures and events.

Queensland Stories : these include – “A collection of 11 digital stories made by Year 11 and 12 Modern History students at Park Ridge State High School. These stories explore the local history of the Park Ridge and Logan areas – from the Indigenous history of the area, to its volunteer organisations and small businesses.”

“How the Murray River was made” a story from the Bangerang Aboriginal Community, as told by Irene Thomas. A story for young children

The etymology of the words culture, cultural, environment and education.

The Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS page includes :-

• Conferences and Events
• Sustainability Networks and Discussion Groups
• State Government Sites
• Australian Government Environment Sites
• Local Government Sites
• Non-Government Organisations

Environmental Education for a Sustainable Future: National Action Plan
Environment Australia, July 2000 ISBN 0 642 546 665 (9 years on, where are we now?)

• Social Sustainability Education : Sustainable South East Queensland PORTAL (maintained by QUT) – link seems to have dissapeared. There is a link via QUT website for Institute for Sustainable Resources however. I am unsure where the Sustainable South East Qld portal went..
• Environmental Education for Sustainability at Qld Education Department

• Environmental & Sustainability Education NSW
• 2005 NSW Department of Education “Excellence & Innovation” Consultation on the future of NSW public education & training.
• NSW Department of Education .
• Early Childhood  Australia Inc. with links to different State branches, includes QLD and NSW. Including Early Childhood Environmental Education Network NSW .
• Greening Australia Toolbox for Environmental Change 2009 .
• some recent history:- at Curriculum Leadership Journal January 1st, 2003 – Environmental Education for a sustainable future: formal schooling by Peter Woods
• Education for Sustainability in High Schools April 18th 2009 by Anna Rose .
• Gould League . An independent non-profit organisation dedicated to environmental education and training in sustainability.
• Live & Learn Environmental Education .
• Learningforsustainability.net : Aiming to “provide a practical resource for those who work with communities (in the wider sense of the term) to help them identify and adopt more sustainable practices“

**A pedantic note:

In his speech to the National Press Club (27th October 2009), three main themes were identified and outlined by the Minister, Peter Garrett:-

Keeping culture strong, engaging the community and powering **the young.

It is interesting  that the words “Powering the young” were chosen. I would guess, that with the scope of professional bearing that Peter Garrett brings to his portfolio, his understanding of the etymology and definition of the word “POWERING” is enough for him not to make a typographical or ideological mistake with regard to this choice of word.

I, personally, would have preferred to have seen the word “EMPOWERING”.

There IS a difference, you see, although in some contexts the word may be seen as similar.

from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary – POWERING definition

etymology for POWERING from wiktionary

from the Free Online Dictionary – POWERING definition & EMPOWERING definition

etymology for EMPOWERING from wiktionary

# pluralism – definition

pluralism – etymology (“toleration of  diversity within a state or society“)

The above poem ‘by my’  Crow friend, Benoit, illustrates how simply a totem can explain environmental stewardship.

other bluecray “totem” stories at bluecray blog “Journey for Wisdom in the Land” .

Philosophy LINKS at bluecray.org

Biodiversity LINKS at bluecray.org

Cross-Cultural blog - A blog for students and teachers participating in the Cross-Cultural Rhetoric project. (Stanford University)

Warlpiri Media Association – Central Australian Media – and  PAW Media .

The above photo is of PK, looking out from the Hinterland, over the Gold Coast, SE QLD, Australia

The creation of an environment that is both sustainable for our Childrens’ Future and yet high in life quality is often deemed to be the domain of Engineers, Scientists & Politicians.  And, these days, Science, Politics and Engineering appear to be intrinsically linked.

Coastal Development & Sea Levels – some Australian Links:-

• National Sea Change Taskforce: Link to – Conference at Byron Bay 2-3 March 2010 “The program will focus on the complex issues currently facing coastal LGAs including sea level rise, the legal implications of climate change and ageing populations………Byron Bay has been selected to host the event because of its relevance in terms of coastal hazards, development pressures and issues associated with climate change impacts”

• The 18th NSW Coastal Conference 2009 – 3rd-6th November 2009 to be held at Ballina,  Mt Warning (Wollumbin) Caldera Region, NE NSW. The Theme is “Staying Afloat – Rising to the Challenges”. The Conference involve government sectors, planners, consultants, engineers, community and user groups & will present awards for outstanding achievement in coastal zone management activities. ABC  North Coast News has nice updates for local info, including this Coastal Conference.
• Planned retreat, climate change & biodiversity – Byron Bay :- this is a workshop by the EDO Northern Rivers on 3rd December 2009

• Sea level Rise Policy Statement by NSW Government (late October 2009), and
• the Draft Coast and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines – that are now open for submissions at the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (Urban & Coastal Water Reform Branch). Closing date for comments are December 11th 2009
• National Sea Change Taskforce : “national body to represent the interests of coastal councils and communities experiencing the effects of rapid growth and development” – includes Conference, Committee, Publications & links to the Federal Parliamentary Coastal Inquiry (report released 26th October 2009)
• EDO NSW (Environmental Defender’s Office) has the following publications available:-   Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in Australia: a legal and scientific analysis &   Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in NSW: a legal and scientific analysis
• Draft Queensland Coastal Plan : at Queensland Department of  Environment & Resource Management . Submissions due by 30th November 2009.

This is a photo for environmental advocacy : showing how coastal development and infrastructure is still going ahead, near the beachfront, at Byron Bay. The houses on the beach side of the photo have already lost their dune frontage to the encroaching sea, and the Council and Landcare are spraying the vegetation (albeit Bitou Bush!) with herbicide, for future regeneration, thus facilitating more habitat destruction in the name of healing.

• “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine

The TWEED COAST is also experiencing engineered non sustainable development:-

Maps for the Tweed Coast Area near Casuarina, Kings Forest, Cudgen, Cudgen Creek , Wooyung – in fact much of the coastal area of the Tweed Shire!

Meanwhile, at Kingscliff,NE NSW:-  large developments (that will further fragment our native wildlife habitats) are planned nearby (Kings Forest, Cobaki Lakes ) and the sea is moving inwards – “Hungry Mother Nature bares her teeth” -  infrastructure damage at Kingscliff on the NSW North Coast -  by coastal erosion (2010): SMH article by Saffron Howden

Kingscliff battles beach erosion (story 11th august 2010):- at ABC local + other local beach coastal erosion stories from NE NSW (Tweed and Byron shires)

Here are some more google search results for NEWS about Coastal Zone Management and Climate Change - remembering that much of Australia’s Population is centred on or about our Coastline. And now, back to

ENGINEERS…..

Engineers! Do you think that the word comes from building engines? oops… wrong.
the etymology of the word engineer has the word coming from…………………go ahead, guess first, then look and see if you were close!

Definitions and etymology of the word “ENGINEER”

• Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
• The Free Dictionary online dictionary
• engineering at wikipedia
• engineering etymology at spiritus-temporus.com
• etymology of engineer at the online etymology dictionary

Article at Sydney Morning Herald about the Association of Consulting Engineers Australia’s ideas to abolish councils, make drivers pay and transform public transport subsidies (October 23rd 2009 – SMH Paul Bibby, Urban Affairs)

Photo of Engineering the Hinze Dam Catchment for the SE QLD Water Grid – or, as I like to call it “Stream Stealing“ 2009**(see below)

google search results for Association of Consulting Engineers Australia .

e - earth
n – noise
g – grandeur
i – illogical
n- non-sustainable
e – every day
e – easy
r – repeating
s – stuff

Now, thanks to the world engineers, and the ancestral contribution of engineers long gone, we have fantastic and celebrated networks of “stuff” all over the world.

Stuff that is slowly making our world a sick place.

• Petro chemical bi-products that do god knows what to our ecosystems and food chain, when combined in their ever increasing lethal dose combinations.
• Climate change, monoculture to the n’th degree, genetic engineering that is making our planet dependent on food sources that have no true genetic source from adaption and selection processes but rather laboratory type “births” and “heritage”.
• This list is endless. Always behind the grand schemes in humanities slow slide into extinction, are engineers. Planning and engineers often go together.

Now, again, as I am sure bluecray has confronted some of your more intrinsic values, I do not want to target engineers, who are after all people like you and me, with some kind of  “let’s get rid of the engineers” post.

Collage of Engineering & Biodiversity – Byron Bay Style (October 2009)

Far from it. why, My uncle was a well known, highly regarded engineer and I admired and respected him greatly.  Some of my best friends are technical and computer engineers. I love to ride my motorcycle, which is itself an engineering wonder, along roadways engineered by many people. This ancient computer that I use here is an engineering wonder, as is the internet connection and associated satellite and electrical paraphenalia that is required to put my words onto the screen that you are currently watching and reading.

I have also met engineers who have transformed great stretches of waterways from past mistakes, by bringing in earth movers to recreate riffles and bends where once, engineers had created straight stretches of water flow, that needed constant upgrading and earthworks. It wasn’t until they came back, decades later and recreated the natural meanders and riffles, that the streams  began to “breath” and work as a sustainable  ecosystem.
The purpose of this article is just to get you thinking, like all other bluecray articles that I have written. And to help you make decisions to change the way you live, so that our Childrens’ future is brighter and happier.

Environmental Advocacy Collage : “Choices – Discernment-Integrity – Love“

Just a few thoughts that may help you get back to some more basic loving principles for improved life quality on the planet. And to help you to inspire others to do the same, by setting an example,  slowing down your life, and trying to get some honest love back into your modern day engineered intellectual capacities.

People tend to hand over power readily to engineers. Their brilliance, their contraptions,the ease that their inventions appear to give our lives. Their ever increasing powerful technologies can eventually overwhelm us to thepoint where our simple life values of food, shelter, companionship, love, clothing etc become a massive encumberance that chains the whole planet down to doom.
And so, why target ENGINEERS?

Because everywhere I look these days, they appear to hold a much greater sway over the way things go in life, compared to the other necessary, more basic natural relationships in life.

“It’s All Upsidedown“

Earth moving equipment – a massive industry

Agricultural and Horticultural machinery and chemicals – a massive industry
Telecommunications – a massive industry
Mining - a massive industry
Medical  technology – a massive industry
Genetics - a masssive industry
Transport – a massive industry
Building construction – a massive industry
Military and arms production – a massive industry

and lets not forget the movies, the music industry and entertainment industries in general…..
endless endless lists…..endless endless “stuff”

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Just how much stuff do we need to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, protect ourselves and create a quality life?
Just how much stuff do we need to create out of toxic processes to prove to ourselves that our collective wisdom is still in the dark ages???

Modern thought,  with its electric lights and enthusiastic middle men selling more and more products,  is still in the dark ages.

• We misdirect our personal egos towards an ever increasing consumption whilst millions starve elsewhere.
• We are surrounded by climatic, geological, idealogical and industrial disasters. Habitat Clearing and toxic food chains are just the tip of the “iceberg”.
• Do you care to take some personal responsibility for this, and question your personal wisdom?
• Maybe you would prefer to shop, talk and justify your way out of it. If you get really good at this, you can enter politics!!

The engineers will help you. They are, as you read, designing new machines, building new war state of the art contraptions to fill our skies with. They are, as you read, creating new fangled better than the business oppositions’ blackberries, rasberries, tokenberries and genetically engineered betterberries for your healthy berries.
All of this stuff – you and I may benefit from, no doubt, in some way or another. All of this stuff will also, in some way or another, cause untold problems in yours and mine lives, and in the lives of others – all over the planet.
Engineers are largely responsible for the way in which cities have been formed all over the planet:-

• Great dams, irrigation pumping and now water grids that alter our water catchment flows;
• long pipes, roads and electronic networks that, in the end, never DID make our lives that much easier; but alot faster, more complex, more stressful, and more toxic.
• and now, make your own list…..for those in NSW, why not start at…

………………..well, Part 3A of the NSW Planning law?

Now of course, some of this science and grand engineering has its benefits – IF USED WISELY. Moderation is a wonderful word. Moderate use of many substances and technologies is a most amazing thing. However, to keep up with the “Jones’s” – our technologically savvy “neighbours” with their engineered enhanced lifestyles and ahead in the sands of  modern enlightenment, we think we must go faster, harder, smarter, “cooler”.

It is this simple (!!) :- Moderation is a tricky quality to embrace. My Father was a master at it. He led by example. I am not so good at it. I tend to be a bit complex. Nature and nature’s needs in nature shift amazingly slow, complex though they are.. There are some “rushes” of activity depending on natural cycles, but in general, our needs in nature are the same as they were before we created, with the assistance of our engineers and their ideas, grand cities, buildings and infrastructures. Now, caught in the “City of Light”, we no longer see our shadow selves. Our egos, meanwhile, are still running rampant!

Collectively? We lack DISCERNMENT. We lack INTEGRITY. We lack GENEROSITY. We lack VISION. Collectively, I always felt that if enough people wanted war, then WAR we would have. If enough people wanted more than we can eat or carry on our backs, then that is how we would feast and travel. AND, engineers have just kept giving us answers to these requests.

“Wisdom in Engineering“

What about LOVE engineers? The philosophers, the musicians, the artists, the writers?  The engineers that do amazing engineering works, but do it for humanity and have a holistic approach to their work. The little guy down the road who lives a simple life in his organic garden, sharing the food with others, and quietly planting out trees and shrubs for the native wildlife. OR, does he even really exist anymore? Well, yes he DOES! Mainly “he” is living below or just above the poverty level, and his quality of life is just fine, thank you!
Collectively, we are sliding back into a time of “the beast”. Ego driven want,  un-enlightenment and hedonism all appear to be alive and well. And engineers have contributed to our false sense of securities and fantasy that it is ok to continue supporting clever regimes that lack transperancy, integrity, statesmanship and the vision of a loving future for our children.
And so, where do I stand in all of this, after displaying how I see this trend of sanitized, but in reality, toxic engineered insanity?
Like Fukuoka, I believe that the spirit holds the key. That engineering is in essence – like science- a wonderful thing, and has much use. But not ALL of it – just SOME of it. Discernment is not a luxury. It has now become a necessity. Good luck!!

Oh, and just one more thing – imagine a world without all this stuff – except some beautiful basics, with a moderate amount of engineered assistance? Like hand grown and hand crafted textiles, hand crafted buildings, hand crafted vehicles, hand crafted musical instruments, hand grown and prepared foods. Simplified energy use and requirements – add just a few engineers, with discernment, and LOTS of LOVEand everyone will be gainfully employed, sheltered, clothed and fed, and entertained. I know this sounds like I am oversimplifying things.  Perhaps I am….And  the world turns to a new day, and life is most likely, is as it is meant to be……

and, Collectively, we still haven’t found our way back to the GARDEN.

Now something else to look at:-

Dale Jamieson at google search

“A Companion to Environmental Philosophy” by Dale Jamieson ISBN       1557869103

Natural Sequence Farming : search results at bluecray ENVIRONMENT SEARCH

National Sustainability Initiatives at the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts. This website page includes links to the related areas of :-  EPBC Reporting, Indicators & Local Agenda 21, as well as to  Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS .

The Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS page includes (as at November 2009) :-

• Conferences and Events
• Sustainability Networks and Discussion Groups
• State Government Sites
• Australian Government Environment Sites
• Local Government Sites
• Non-Government Organisations

Coastal Design Guidelines for NSW (from 2003 ): at NSW Department of Planning (Coastal Protection).

The Sea Level Rise  Policy Statement  by the NSW Government 2009 & and Draft Policy information- :

• The NSW Department of Planning worked with the Department of Environment Climate Change to finalise the draft statement (21st February – 3rd April were submission times).

• Sea level Rise Policy Statement by NSW Government (late October 2009), and
• the Draft Coast and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines – that are now open for submissions at the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (Urban & Coastal Water Reform Branch). Closing date for comments are December 11th 2009

** Regarding my term “stream stealing”:- the concept of Stream Capturing, as per the geological process that was created causing the Rhine River to take the waters of the Danube River, via a slow and gradual centuries long process, thus diverting waters away from one catchment to another has implications for how the water of these two Catchments is distributed throughout parts of Europe.

“Stream Stealing”, or taking the water from the catchment and removing it to another catchment is akin to diversion that may have future consequences for that catchment later on. The Murray-Darling system attests to this on a grand scale. The water was purloined (see etymology HERE), and the consequences in the future are already here, to see – in black and white. The Government is now having to rethink where and how this Murray Darling Water actually goes, over time. This is for the sake of future generations and future environmental habitats. Much damage has already be done.

The concept of altering catchment water flows, taking water from one series of catchment ecosystems to completely different catchment systems, can have consequences further down stream.

Many engineers and scientist show, via quantitative and qualitative measures, that Dam Building and altering Catchment flows can be managed in an environmentally sustainable way. However, there are still serious doubts, in my mind,  as to water flows for a catchment’s well being down stream, and ecosystem health when water is removed from one catchment to serve a purpose in another.

The Qld Water Grid of South East Queensland is doing this. Dams and irrigation networks do this. Construction and earthworks within developments can do this. Altering water flows from one catchment, to provide another catchment with that water has historical implications. Only time will tell, and as the benchmarks can keep changing, the ecosystem health consequences further down the catchment, and into the sea may not show up for many decades. “Stream Stealing” is an insidious form of Habitat destruction by “clearing the habitat” via habitat water theft.

This type of activity is stealing from natural ecosystems and habitats (that have little voice in the matter), to serve human consumption and industry.

Capture:-definition and etymology .

Stealing:-definition and etymology .

“Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” – at Journey for Wisdom in the Land

In many parts of the Mt Warning Caldera Region are small hubs of  sustainable lifestyle knowledge. Authentic local environmental stewardship. And educational resources that continue, through time, to the next generation.

Many different regions have local land stewards carrying stories that contain valid information.  Environmental management decision making stories. Many of these stories are very “ground level” and not always apparent. Many of these people who hold these stories are quite old. Some are members of local groups – nature/community groups of some kind, others are not.

Small, local populations, doing their little bit towards this common future of sustainability.

And, like the valuable threatened species that also abound in this area, they would benefit by increased linking and networking, with sound corridors put in place so that their knowledge is easily shared with others within the region.

Small regional schools hold a wealth of wisdom in their “catchment”  communities, when it comes to exchange and extension of environmental information. This exhange is a VALUABLE area that needs to be mentored. There are all types of wildlife workers, land workers, water workers, sustainable lifestyle practitioners out there, in the Mt Warning Caldera Region.

The valuable information, that of the knowledge of the natural processes, the intrinsic understanding of the animal habitat, the love and wonder of the harmonies of nature – all these things need increased mentoring by government levels of care.

A child, prepared by economics and market forces, in the coming ages, may no longer do as well the child prepared slowly but surely, by environmentally sustainable lifestyle education.

Much of the child’s time is taken in the education and learning system of our society. Economics, family and homelife, products, travel, communications, recreation, electronic products, toys – many of these things consume the rest of a child’s time.

Running through all of this, and appearing to hold more immediate validity than  learning of authentic education for sustainability, is this:- A powerful economic framework with the speed of money, economies of scale and fuel powered motion.    Where do the small units of authentic  ”unencumbered ” biodiversity really figure in all of this?

This is an enigma. this is a dichotomy. This first and foremost needs to be resolved.

“A Balance of Faeries” : why the little things count in authentic Land and Water Stewardship

Totem based Education for Biodiversity in Darling River (Murray Darling System) – totem based education is something that can be considered for many regions and catchments, through the Primary School “house” system.

Cross – Cultural Environmental Education and the evolution of Australia’s Cultural Policy article at bluecray.org

Stewardship – the Balances : Article  on Land, Air and Water Stewardship and its relation to early childhood learning/learned behaviour  and social/economic pressures (behaviours) (April 2009) at Wisdom in the Land Bluecray blog

“Environmental Advocacy Blogs – The Art of Public Engagement”  with a link to Melissa Merry’s Article on “Blogging and Environmental Advocacy: a New Way to Engage the Public?” – March 2008

The Well Trained Activist‘s article “Can Corporate Leadership Theorists Help Activists?”  - This is a great website full of great inspiration, with links to Daniel Goleman’s : Ecological Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence page.

• search for  Aboriginal  (Indigenous peoples) research literature for the North Coast of NSW at the Libraries Australia Search
• Chief Oren Lyons at the E.F.Schumacher Society .

Lifting the illusions and emotional perceptions that we carry so that we may learn to fully participate in meaningful ecological decisions. This is indeed a worthy challenge.   Corporate leadership,  if incorporated with love, respect and authentic Land and Water Stewardship?  THIS really COULD change the world!!

Phantom Koala and his Friends. Waiting for us to join him on his adventures.

The Bluecray Journey – The Bluecray Totem – How it all began

...................................Free F'all........................

Gold Coast City and Hinze Dam seen from Lower Beechmont (top, middle). Springbrook, Mt Warning and Lamington Plateau - Numinbah Valley or "Devil's Country" is in the centre-left -seen from Beechmont Plateau.(bottom), SE QLD, Australia.

** Dear Reader, just a note here – if you are looking for photo of bees, environmental advocacy pictures , collages of the environment for advocacy or the Phantom Koala art/collages for the Mt Warning Caldera Region – I have compiled quite a few on bluecray.org now. Please feel free to use them for educational purposes (just cite al@ bluecray), and if you should like to have higher quality images to use, please contact me and we can send the images to you at a minimal charge. cheers, Alison Polistchuk

• loving vision to heal + habitat = more habitat and more biodiversity
• killing to heal + habitat = less habitat, less biodiversity

The Agricultural Chemical and Machinery Industries‘ direction within mainstream society has endowed future populations of  our world with:

• fast food production,
• decreased biosphere activity
• fast development
• increased production yield in mainstream Horticultural, Agricultural and Amenity cropping systems.
• Everywhere you drive, along the side of the roads you can see this legacy of the Agricultural Chemical in the form of  dead grass and micro habitat sprayed with herbicides.
• Everywhere you shop, you can purchase food products as a legacy of this fast fix Agricultural Chemical legacy.
• Every time you meet council and landlord requirements to “pest proof” your new building or leased property, you sponsor this legacy of Agricultural Chemicals.
• Everytime you you chose the comfort of  poisoning a rat, spraying a fly, safeguarding your home from those “terribly annoying and threatening spiders and ants”, you further this legacy of Agricultural chemicals into the world and the food chains.
• Every time you need to travel many kilometre to retrieve food and accomodate lifestyle, the machinery industry helps you, via roads, non regionalised industry, and non sustainable developments.

Now, I do not mean to make you feel uncomfortable about this. Or do I…….

• Agricultural Chemicals and Large Machinery  are a wonderful and terrifying gift from Science and, in turn God. These pesticides and machines, if I may so loosely term them, have saved lives, and helped feed millions.

And this, dear environmentally concerned reader, is the quandary. The annoying dichotomy of existence today.

The Quandary

*Chemicals + machinery+microhabitat and habitat = Bare soil / limited habitat

How does one practice and live valid, sustainable lifestyles (especially those that we, and our peers have become so accustomed to), and yet keep our environments comfortable, safe and abundant?

“Chemical free” I hear the advertisement chirp cheerily on the radio. “Without harmful chemicals”, “biosafe” .  .  .       I see the presenter announcer –  in pristine white gleaming kitchen, as she wipes those dangerous germs from the kitchen bench, her baby’s hands, and her swing lid garbage bin.

Well, we are all chemical. It is highly chemical. We are a biochemical complexity on a biochemically complex earth.

*The trick is: chemicals , particularly man made ones, are on the rise, permeating our food chains, air, water and soils.   Our world has become so full of these new, and often combined chemicals, that. . . …… that it is hard to know what was natural, in the beginning, and what is “natural” now.

Our minds have become so full of this knowledge, about these chemicals, that we have reached new plateaus of tolerance and comfortability about them all (well, at least many of them).

Yet, listen to this reasoning:

• We may be all chemical.
• We may strive to define what is a “good chemical” and a “bad chemical”.
• Essentially, in between all those biochemical components that make up the living earth………. in between all the organic, and inorganic chemicals of our living planet, there exists SPACE.

And there is alot of it!                 In fact, mainly, we ARE composed of SPACE. There is quite alot going on, in that space….. another story………. I digress.

Tolerance Plateaus and Stress

So the tolerance plateaus that  much of society have reached, with regard to man made chemical creation?

• Food chain chemical adjustment.
• Brain wave chemical adjustment.

The combined effects from media and industry onslaught of killing the bug, monculturing the lawn, product fixation, running to a deadline, playing with the beast?,

Generally, over-driving natural systems to the same extent we drive our neurotic selves., Causing a number of  abreactions.  Combined effects of combined effects carry with them unpredictable outcomes.

Chemical Monoculture Mindsets

*Bare soil    =      limited habitats,limited biodiversity

*Chemicals + machinery+microhabitat and habitat = Bare soil / limited habitat

These mindests have been built up of a number of generations now – courtesy of

• marketing,
• advertising (some of it, you even invite into your home via tv, radio, via playing it while YOU go about YOUR day). Why look!!! I even have google ads on bluecray…well, i tried them for a while…
  
• Product & Company endorsement via guidelines laid down in government and agency activities
• Schooling “norms”
• Peer Higher Education interfacing with Corporate/ Business.

Now all of this makes me think of R J Lifton’s writings,  how my experiences in life show me that many people adopt this strategy of “killing” in the name of healing, as explained by R J Lifton.

Nature is also under stress. And like us, has coping mechanisms.

However, consequences from all of these stresses  - the ongoing complexity of them…… makes the little things rather important.

Little things, like not killing, but growing habitats.

In our dazed neurotic state (complex as it is),  we forget what we were doing. We forget our simple, caring lives.

Instead, we find ourselves caught in an ever informed, mindblowing realisation that it really IS going way too fast!! All of us, so many people in the planet lost into their moment, and times are changing, again!

Vision and Love

I would like to bring this article back to the beginning now.  Back to that directional  idea. That idea of killing something with chemicals, spraying the country, waterways and estuaries with chemicals.

• Machinery and chemicals cause small localised losses of biodiversity
• These losses can accumulate rather rapidly owing to other localised pressures that are also within that particular ecosystem or even habitat.
• I have noticed that many small and sometimes larger property management tree plantings  are cleared extensively by mowing or herbicide. A strange birth path for an environmental project. Killing the land to heal it. It isn’t even a gentle killing!!
• Various different growth stages, over time, of different plant communities = Variously different habitats and related biodiverse flora and fauna communities

This is a symptom. This is looking it right in the eye, at the ground level. TAKE A LOOK!!!

*Over cultivation  + Mowing + herbicide use  =    limited habitats  +  limited biodiversity

*Bare soil    =      limited habitats,limited biodiversity

• Australian landscapes have a fundamental dynamic biodiversity that has functioned for tens of thousands, even millions of years.
• Different biodiversity dynamics appear regularly. The trick is in keeping the biodiversity going, so that balances can occur more readily.
• Nature is amazing, and it can re-invent iself quite remarkably. A bare mown patch of ground can, perhaps, turn itself into a forest. It certainly can, if it is in the middle of a wet rainforest, surrounded by biodiversity. If it is along the Darling River, it may take many, many years or even decades and centuries to “reinvent” itself into a dynamic yet stable over time,  biodiverse habitat.

Various different growth stages, over time, of different plant communities = Variously different habitats and related biodiverse flora and fauna communities

• Habitat regeneration, without chemicals and large machinery is caring for our country, flora and fauna.
• Habitat regeneration need not be  about killing habitat. Although natural processes do respond to death in a rebirth way.
• Habitat repair, after destruction via machinery and chemicals,  having gone past critical level, responds with less and less resilience.
• Habitat regeneration is about understanding and loving habitats. Loving nature, and bothering to spend some time there, to care, before you race in and kill habitats and micro-habitats.
• A loving approach to Habitat regeneration makes more sense.
• A loving approach to Habitat regeneration takes more time. The birth energy of such a regeneration project is alot more well adjusted to fit into natural rythms already working on the revegetating sight.

Meanwhile, back to the Abreactions, the biochemical and psychological stresses that we are handing ourselves over to.

• When someone is acting from a primed stress response, any further stresses can cause chronic illness.
• When an animal is acting from a stress situation,  especially if stress patterns are already deeply based in the animal’s responses, with further stresses occurring, that animal may become further stressed, depending on it’s coping mechanisms.
• Changes that occur too rapidly, will often then cause more stress.
• The same can be said for a micro habitat.  The most basic micro habitat for much survival, here on earth, is the humus level. This humus level is a fantastic earthly biological wonder.  Beyond this are the smaller creatures of earth, the bacteria, the insects, the spiders, the fungi, the lichens, the small molluscs, reptiles, mammals etc, plants, vegetation communities.
• As our personal environment changes about us, be it social, homelife, daily or work related, our earth’s environment is also moving  fast, about us. (especially in rapid development areas).
• Social Environmental Stress is also rapidly changing.
• Habitat destruction comes in many forms.
• Habitat destruction stresses us and earths precious creatures and life forms  in more ways than you can imagine.
• Habitat destruction has far reaching consequences on, and via the more basic earth elements, such as fire, wind, rain, heat, cold, weather etc.

Killing to heal is an auto response that doesn’t always serve us. Loving to heal is a whole much better. Get it?

killing to heal + habitat = less habitat, less biodiversity

loving vision to heal + habitat = more habitat and more biodiversity

Environmental Ethics at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Peter Vintila at Postkyoto Centre : See some of Peter Vintila’s work here:- ABC Unleashed: “Climate War” 6th November 2009; Post Kyoto Journal . His works show the dichotomies of human acquired learning responses and social adaptive tendencies when, the whole of our beautiful blue planet is at risk from our collective social activities. The tendency to “fight, flight and freeze” – the trauma adaptive qualities of centuries of “threat from outside” are now being acted out en masse by society. These learned adaptive processes, whilst possibly serving us collectively in humanity’s “youth”, are now outdated, and a new, brave form of courage is required. That of a VISION encompassing loving, sharing, forgiveness, acceptance – growing and nurturing “the good” in place of fighting and destroying “the bad“.

This can be said, in general,  for wars, developments, community revegetation programs, roadside management, planning instruments, daily lifestyles of individuals and much much more.

“A Balance of Faeries” 1989 – A true story

• Weed Identification – IBRA – SE Qld
• Weed Identification – IBRA – NSW North Coast

They should serve as a warning to many small communities in the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW and SE QLD, Australia.

Mullumbimby is a beautiful, at times flood prone town that lies on the Brunswick River. Mullumbimby township supports many artists, farmers, families ( who honour the rights of future generations of children to live in an environmentally sustainable community), pensioners, people with disabilities and active community members. It’s town centre is a peaceful thoroughfare and commerce hub that serves regional families and businesses.

The people of Mullumbimby, through the Mullumbimby Community Action Network, have spoken clearly to voice their lack of support and disapproval of the building of a Woolworths Supermarket within the location targeted by the Supermarket giant Woolworths. Woolworths, if built in Mullumbimby, will bring with it a number of extra corporate strengths to this peaceful rural town.

• Corporate credit
• more plastic (- NO – not the bags they pack your stuff in – the plastic that is around all their products  - fresh, processed and pre-packed such as meats, vegies, breads and many imported  products) that will end up in drains, recycling, land fill, animals digestive systems, food chains etc
• more traffic as delivery trucks, regional shoppers taking advantage of the hours of operation of the supermarket
• sewerage “the wet weather storage and (required) stringent monitoring and management of the irrigations system … to prevent effluent runoff; and the pumping out of effluent and its removal to Tweed which is illegal in the Byron Shire (Council Policy No. 5.59) which would set a precedent for other potential inappropriate development.” (from Mullumbimby Action Group letter to NSW Premier Nathan Rees, The Honourable Kristina Keneally NSW Minister for Planning, Ms Paula Tomkins)
• Mullumbimby Town and regional Heritage visual IMPACT

This Planning Right of Way by the NSW Department of Planning appears to be on the side of  the Woolworths giant ( which is also a large owner of Poker Machines in Australia) in this Far North Coast Region of New South Wales, Australia.

The building of this Woolworths Supermarket may herald future NSW Government condoned development expansion and rough riding over local  community well being.

The bluecray vision is that  cultural, community, commonsense, environmental and social  support return this planning right of way back to the town people of Mullumbimby.

And so, if you care about how  government and corporate power uses “behind the scenes” practices and economies of scale  to lever socially and environmentally undesired and harmful projects on to small rural communities, then please go to the Mullumbimby Community Action Network homepage and give the community your support.

YouTube Videos

Byron Shire Echo Article by David Lovejoy “Woolworths blocked at the drain” 16th June 2009 for an update on events

Sydney Morning Herald Article : 28th September 2009 “Woolies forced to explain pokie business”

shop till you drop bop till you pop
the Bluesfest of Byron is near
the Belongil site’s ready
and Tyagarah looks steady

The Byron Bay Bluesfest 2009 clearly illustrates that the  dichotomy of human rational, ignorance and self-gratuitous environmental belief systems is alive and well in Byron Bay, 2009. The Byron Bay Bluesfest has a long history within the Mt Warning Caldera Region and beyond.
And the slow subtle degradation of habitats and environmental health in the Byron Shire also has a long history.  Players in this field (Belongil Fields and beyond) can pat themselves on the back, preen their egos and shuffle their heads back into the sand. I just wonder how many cigarette butts, bottle tops and pieces of plastic they will find there, after the Byron Bay Bluesfest 2009 is gone and the animals that have survived the trauma of forced relocation come back to their homes to continue their lives.
I love music, I love the land, I love the animals and the human spirits that live in this beautiful Mt Warning Caldera Region.  I pray with all my might that some mass consciousness shift occurs at the Byron Bay Bluesfest at Belongil Fields (or is it Tyagarah?) this year (2009), so that the coming years of Bluesfest “mania” (Tyagarah ?)become directly, immediately and thoroughly accountable to the authentic spiritual land guardians of the Mt Warning Caldera Region.
I say this, because it is clear to me that the Byron Shire is incapable of taking care of this beautiful part of the world – one only has to walk along the shoreline at Byron and through the parklands to see just how much plastic, rubbish, cigarette butts, bottle tops, batteries and god know’s how much unseen waste and toxins have infiltrated the habitats that they proclaim to protect.
The Arakwal people are the historical custodians of the land in this area. Their land stewardship preserved a unique and diverse environmental heritage, much of which has now been swallowed up by inappropriate 19th, 20th and now 21st century development.  Today, more and more people have an increasing  impact on this area and region, and from what I can see, the heritage and rights for the native animals that live in the Habitats of the Byron Shire have been severely compromised.
Words like “precautionary principle”, “environmental sustainability”, “caring for country” and “global crisis” mean nothing, when the current dichotomy of human words and actions are let loose on the planet. Please don’t let the “vision fade”.

2009 Spendour in the Grass Festival Yelgun

Byron Shire Council and the Splendour in the Grass Festival – article in Byron Shire Echo 27th January 2009

Environmental Defender’s Office NSW

EDO Compliance Portal – a tool to assist citizens in enforcing environmental law

Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 (google HTML) or at Byron Shire Council publications website

(from the Jeffers Collection at the Mary Norton Clapp Library)

Reflecting and learning through nature can lead to increased understanding and awareness of the nature of humans and our relationship with our world. Masanobu Fukuoka, is one such iconic 20th century example of how this can be achieved through his writings on sustainable farming in Japan.

Human history abounds with oral and written stories concerning human interaction with animals, plants, places and natural events. Australia, including the Mt Warning Caldera Region , is rich in such written and oral history.

Over the years, it has become scientifically recognised that in Australia (and the rest of the world), the presence and activity of birds and other animals within any given environment reflects the state of that environment and its ecological components. Environmental status, health, wellbeing and resilience can be reflected by the bird activity within any given environment.

This is not a new idea. Cultures of past and present ages throughout the world have practiced closely intertwined rituals and nature based ideologies. This has been as a matter for survival, cultural education and environmental wellbeing. New concepts and practices forming around nature and learning are crystallising and modernising age old practices, bringing ancient concepts to a modern scientific understanding. Janin Benyus, author of “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature” (1997 William Morrow, NY), is just one of many recent advocates of a natural approach to environmental management and education. ( Nature’s 100 best )

Meanwhile, I would like to talk more about birds. Take for example, the expression “a little bird told me” .

The Phrase Finder website gives a possible reference to the expression as “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter” from Ecclesiastes 10:20 King James Version. GOD is the King.

Think carefully at all times where your mind leads you. Should a “little bird” take that thought far on the wind, and spread it beyond your life, into the world. Daily practice of loving thoughts have a widespread healing implication, nearby and far. Creating a prayer, for yourself, that a bird may carry, can set it free, on the winds of time.

The vision of a future where birds are happily living on this planet, and prayer to go with this vision, may be a good starting point to healing this planet with love. Furthermore, understanding nature and reflection on birds may be as simple learning to birdwatch.

Bird watching can be a simple, relaxing past-time, relatively cost free and extremely rewarding. There are many Bird websites on the internet to explore. Bird identification, information and resources can also be found in most libraries and second hand bookstores.

Bird Links

Papers of Judith Wright (1915-2000)  at National Library of Australia